A special thank you to…
Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…bdrake07…The Book Queen…ffgirlmoonie…Ayjah…souriiant…Charcoal.Rose… emichan…Avelyn Lauren…AznxAngel…silverkonekotsukari… Clouds of the Sky…sweetrosie…Kikto-chan…Punk Rock Miko2…I Laugh at ur Pain… Fishy …angelqt1231…MeiunTenshi…Lightning Dragon Alchemist…flynfreako…chiclet180…TouchofPixieDust… Watching Eternity…Amaya Mishugosha…Inutori… mangafreak…Female Dog Deamon…Kagome1322…
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Disclaimer:
Lawyer #1: So, what now?
Lawyer #2: I don't know. She seems to be running out of steam.
Lawyer #1: There was a whole big to-do as well!
Al: Are we ever going to find out just what it is exactly I'm doing that has everyone so terrified.
Jenny: I don't think so.
Sesshomaru: I'm surprised she's even writing this.
Mr. X: It certainly is scary.
Mario: Brave of her to do it, really.
KK: First rate.
Blake: Strong girl, that one.
(They all stare at Pwale)
Pwale:(dejectedly) I don't own them. The characters, I mean.
Naraku: Is something wrong with her?
Sesshomaru: If you can figure out what it is, please tell the rest of us.
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The Stamp Of Gold
Worry
By Pwalefriend
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It didn't take long for Inuyasha to figure out that Kikyo had left some sort of nonsensical message for Kagome that had creeped her out and then she had fled on a horse. While riding said horse back home she got caught in the storm and had also forgotten dinner after a very small lunch.
Once Inuyasha was finished throwing a fit (about half an hour later) he finally noticed that Kagome had walked (or staggered) away and had left a trail of water in her wake. Following the puddles he found her fast asleep and still soaking wet and curled up in his bed.
Naturally he squawked in outrage.
…
Nothing happened.
So Inuyasha squawked a little louder.
…
…
Why wasn't Kagome waking up? This was wrong!
"Oh!" Inuyasha snapped at his sleeping friend and the object of his affections. "You think that just because you're cold and wet and hungry and was targeted by Kikyo's strange warnings that neither of us understand, you can just go collapse on just anyone's bed. This you don't have to think about anyone else. You know what you are? You're full of yourself, that's what you are! Self-centered!"
Kagome gave a little sneeze and her nose wrinkled in her sleep. Inuyasha gaped.
"…That's cheating!" He protested loudly enough for Kagome to shift a little bit, like a little cat. Inuyasha's jaw dropped even further. "That's definitely cheating!" He said. "You're not allowed to act cute when I'm being mad at you!"
Kagome yawned and opened her eye just a crack.
"Y'say something?" She slurred. Inuyasha glared at her for all he was worth.
"You are a very evil, very cruel, monster." Inuyasha informed her slowly. Unfortunately Kagome didn't hear his opinion, as she had fallen back asleep quite promptly after asking if he had said something.
"Lord?" Clingy asked, bobbing up and down in the air at Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha ground his teeth angrily.
"Yes Clingy?" Inuyasha asked.
"Lady's sick."
These simple words threw Inuyasha into yet another panicked fit that conveniently lasted long enough for the Elementals to wake Kagome up, get her into some dry clothes, feed her a nice simple broth, give her some cold medicine of their own creation and put her into her own bed. One can only suppose that this is another of the Elementals numerous and mysterious talents.
Impeccable timing.
…
Kagome woke up the next morning only to find that Inuyasha had fallen asleep next to her bed where he had (judging by the open book his head was resting and drooling on) been reading. A little smile tugged at her lips and she pulled some of her blanket over him and rolled closer. A racking cough shook her frame and she fell back asleep soon afterwards, watching Inuyasha's sleeping face and especially how his nose seemed to crinkle every time he gave one of his tiny soft snores.
…
Three days later Kagome was beginning to get over her high fever and whooping cough. Her nose still ran like a river and her eyes still watered annoyingly, but the Elementals announced that she was well on her way to mending, much to Inuyasha's relief. He had once tried to explain to a sleeping Kagome how much stress her sickness was putting him under, and the conversation had gone something like this-
"Kagome?" Inuyasha had asked, giving her a little nudge with his hand. Kagome gave a little congested moan of complaint. "Are you awake?" Inuyasha asked her. This time Kagome didn't give any reply at all. Inuyasha sighed and petted her soft hair with his hand. "You know," he told her. "I wish you'd get better. It's annoying being worried, now I get what people are talking about when they tell other people not to do something because it worries them." Inuyasha frowned, thinking. "I think you should give up your days off. They're obviously very bad for you, and I hate being worried about you."
"Not a chance, dog-boy." Kagome muttered, awakening at this supposed threat to her one day of freedom. "Never in a million, billion, gagillion years."
"But they're-"
"No."
"But-"
"No way. And talking about this is making me sicker."
"Then shut up! We'll discuss it when you're better."
"Mmm…" Kagome fell back asleep, but as she hadn't opened her eyes when she had spoken to Inuyasha, the silly hanyou didn't notice. Instead he continued to caress her with that soft look in his eyes.
"Kagome." Inuyasha said. "I really am worried about you. Please get better."
When he had no response, he gave her a little nudge. "Kagome?" He said. "Are you awake?"
But now Kagome wasn't falling asleep every other second. Now Kagome didn't feel as if there was a little mouth inside of her head that was slowly chewing up her brains. She was able to converse and live with only the mild discomfort that comes from a normal cold.
And the first thing she did, quite naturally, was demand to go outside.
Which then, quite naturally, led to another row.
"NO YOU CANNOT GO OUTSIDE!!!" Inuyasha screamed at his beloved friend. "YOU'RE STILL SICK!"
"AND THE FRESH AIR WILL DO ME GOOD, YOU STUPID CREEP!" Kagome screamed back at him, privately proud that her throat was up to screaming. Inuyasha didn't share her opinion, however.
"STOP SCREAMING, YOU'LL STRAIN YOUR THROAT!" Inuyasha screamed.
"NO I WON'T! AND I WON'T STOP SCREAMING UNTIL YOU LET ME GO OUTSIDE!"
"I THOUGHT THAT YOU SAID I COULDN'T STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANTED!" Inuyasha shouted triumphantly, thinking that he had her. Kagome glared down at him.
"You can, you prat, when you've got me slung across you shoulder like a sack." Kagome hissed at him. Inuyasha just smiled brightly at her.
"That's right!" Inuyasha said as he carried Kagome up the Grand Stairs and back to his room, leaping to steps at a time as if to show that to him Kagome's weight was nothing. "I can!"
It was two more days before Kagome managed to convince Inuyasha to let her go outside.
Kagome was bundled up in several blankets in addition to her thick skirts, and she was forbidden from straying off the path and onto the slushy ground, but the point was that she was outside. And being outside was as close to freedom as she had gotten since her last free day.
She walked along the path that circled and twisted around them mansion and led people to the numerous places someone might need to go, such as the stables or the tack barn or the feed shed or the well or the smoke shed or the supply house. There were several paths that Kagome had never gone on before, but that she knew Koga used for whatever it was he did all day. There were also quite a few paths that Inuyasha's mother had mapped out in her day, that were peaceful and scenic. It was one of these that Kagome took now.
Kagome sighed. How sad it was, she thought, that she should be sick when Spring was approaching. Kagome loved Spring, especially when it is on its cusp of tumbling down around you and one can smell it in the air. Kagome had never noticed this before, in all the years she had lived in the city. The smells of people and all the things people used in their lives had always overcome the smells of Mother Nature. But out here, on Inuyasha's beloved plains, and in the old forest, one could smell the undeniable seasons in the air. The smell of Spring reminded Kagome of warm sun and budding flowers and fresh grass and cool water. She looked forward to what Summer must small like.
But at the moment she couldn't smell a dratted thing with her stuffed-up nose and that irked her to no end.
But still, the world in general was beautiful, even if all the thrilling white was turning to gray and brown slush that made everything damp and cold and dreary. The wind told a very different story then the ground, and the sun was shining clear and the winter birds were striking their tunes like there was no tomorrow.
"Halloo!" Shouted a sudden and familiar voice. Kagome turned around to find none other then Koga running towards her, waving and happily smiling.
"Koga?" Kagome said cheerfully. She blinked and tried to remember the last time she had seen Koga. She couldn't.
"Kagome!" Koga said happily. "I heard you were sick! You certainly don't look like you are."
"That's very sweet of you, Koga." Kagome said, blushing happily at the compliment. "But yes, I was sick. Who'd you hear it from?" Kagome had thought that everyone (including her family, for some strange reason) had left. Koga shrugged.
"I don't quite recall." He said nonchalantly. "Inuyasha must've mentioned it when I saw him." Kagome frowned at hearing this.
"You saw Inuyasha?" She asked. "When?"
Judging from the way Inuyasha had always glared at Koga, Kagome thought for sure that her hanyou employer and friend would have mentioned it if he had met with Koga. Inuyasha had never given up the opportunity to be as offended as a ruffled rooster before. Why now?
'Ah well.' Kagome thought. 'No doubt he has some reason that I wouldn't agree with for not telling me. I'll just ask him about it later.'
"So, Koga." Kagome said. "It's been forever since I last saw you. What have you been up to?"
And so the pair of them walked arm and arm down the path, chatting like old friends.
Strange how people can change in the blink of an eye, isn't it?
…
Okay, so, that evil little hint? That's actually a pretty good hint for what's up ahead. And since it's been so long since I updated, I'll give you something else to chew on as well.
Hopefully in the next chapter, if not that then certainly the one after that, we will finally meet Naraku for the very first time!
…
Yeah, don't kill me too hard, please. I like my head, sir.
Roar!
Well, the Review Lion is at it again folks! So I'd review if I were you, before she's got a chance to MapQuest you.
Anyways, I just have one more thing to say-
IT'S A BLOODY PARODY!!!! PARODIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STUPID!!!!!!!
Sigh…
Okay, there, I vented. I feel better now.
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Sincerely
Pwalefriend